SEOUL, South Korea — Shareholders approved Friday a highly contested deal that strengthens the Samsung family’s grip on the world’s largest smartphone maker, sparking criticism that South Korea lacks sufficient protections for foreign investors and small shareholders.

Samsung construction company Samsung C&T said that 69.5 percent of shareholders who voted supported the takeover of it by another Samsung company, Cheil Industries.

SEOUL, South Korea — LG Electronics Inc. started taking pre-orders on Wednesday for the world’s first big TVs that use an advanced display technology promising startlingly clear images on wafer-thin screens.

The South Korean company said the 55-inch TVs, which use a technology called “OLED” and have a price tag of 11 million won ($10,335), will be delivered to buyers in its home market next month. The new TVs will be available in North America, Europe and the rest of Asia before the end of March, LG said in a statement.